


A Deed Undone

by SlightlySimple



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Female Chara (Undertale), Gen, Male Frisk (Undertale), Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:49:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26583181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlightlySimple/pseuds/SlightlySimple
Summary: Frisk has an idea. It's not a very good idea, but if it works, he could being someone back from the dead.
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Frisk was a kid filled with many ideas and very few good ones. But sometimes his ideas that seem really, really bad on paper turn out surprisingly well in practice.  
Like that time he climbed what everyone essentially thought was a suicide mountain and ended up breaking the barrier between monsters and humans.  
But while he was able to break that magical seal, there were times when he wished he could put up a barrier between him and his "other consciousness".  
Not that said "other" was bad to be around; He was actually really great friends with her. But he also felt sorry for her, despite the reasoning being events that happened a century ago real time, and who knows how long from her perspective.  
She'd said before that she didn't mind, and was content with life as it were, but that wasn't enough for Frisk. As he laid in his bed unable to sleep, an idea was brimming in his head, and his friend Chara knew every potentially catastrophic bit of it.

  


* * *

  


"We are _not_ going back down there." Chara exclaimed, quick to reject the idea.  
"Normally I'd agree with you, but it'll just be a short trip. Just to collect our things."  
"...You're not helping."  
"I'm just trying to..." _sigh_ "Look, I don't really want to go down there either. Especially with _him_ most likely awaiting us. But if this works, it'll be beyond worth it."  
"And if it doesn't...?"  
"..."  
Frisk pondered for a long time about how to respond, but perhaps not long enough.  
"...I could ask you the same thing about the reason you're dead in the first place."  
That got Chara to quiet up. Partially because of the bad memories it brought back to her, and partially because she knew Frisk was serious when he was cruel.

  


Frisk carefully considered how to go about this. He knew whatever he brought with him would weigh him down on the way back up, unless he wanted to traverse the entire Underground again.  
He considered asking one of the others to help hoist him back up, but who would want to help a weird kid who talks to himself dig up an old body?  
Chara picked up on this thought, and began with a suggestion.  
"Maybe Undyne could help."  
"Somehow I doubt she'd be on board with me going into the Underground and coming out with a dead human body."  
"What makes you say that? She _loves_ it when the humans are dead."  
"Oh hardy har. I'm still not asking her."  
"What about Papyrus? He's never seen a dead body, so he might not be adverse to the plan so long as we withhold some of the finer details."  
"You might be right, but is he strong enough?"  
"Need I remind you that he's got an ATK of 20 and was restrained by Flowey with more vines than anyone else, including Asgore?"  
"Okay, I see your point. ...I'll ask him."  
"Excellent!"  
"But how am I gonna explain all this to his brother?"  
"Easy: Don't."  
"...Huh?"  
"You're dealing with a guy who has the most extreme case of insomnia that is physically possible. So just do the plan at night, and Sans will never realize it happened."  
"Yeah, if Papyrus can keep his mouth shut."  
"He won't have to if this plan actually works."  
"...Heh... Good to know you're optimistic all of a sudden."  
"Well I've already gotten past the "trying to convince you to stop" phase of this plan, so I figured I might as well be in the "helping out" phase instead."  
"Glad to hear it. I really could use your help."

  


* * *

  


10:00 PM. Sans was definitely fast asleep by this point, and Papyrus was... looking pretty. If Frisk _had_ a curfew, he'd definitely be breaking it, but fortunately he lived pretty independently.  
Still, he decided to get Papyrus' attention by tapping on his bedroom window from the side of the house.  
"EH? WHO'S THERE?"  
"It's me. Turn around."  
"OH, FRISK! I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME IN?"  
"Actually, I'd like _you_ to come _out_. Preferably through this window."  
"ALRIGHT, THEN. STAND BACK!"  
Frisk did as told, and Papyrus leaped out of the window with such grace that you'd swear he was controlling gravity itself to perform that jump.  
"Wow... I guess Undyne was right. He _does_ usually nail the landing."  
"That was... beautiful."  
"THANK YOU, I'M QUITE WELL PRACTICED. NOW, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED ME FOR?"  
"Well, before we get started, can you keep a secret?"  
"ABSOLUTELY. MY LIPS ARE SEALED! ...YOU KNOW, IF I HAD THEM."  
"Great. Now, I need your help with a mission to recover something I left behind in the Underground. I'll be the one to go down there and get it, but I need you to bring me back up once I do."  
"I SEE... WELL, AS THE GREAT WOULD-BE ROYAL GUARDSMAN AND AMBASSADOR OF MONSTERS ON THE SURFACE, IT SEEMS ONLY RIGHT THAT I SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE UNDERGROUND IS COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED OF IT'S REMAINS."  
"...Yeah. So, you'll help me?"  
"ABSOLUTELY!"  
"Great, thank you! Now, let's go climb a mountain."

  


About halfway up the mountain trail, Papyrus began a conversation.  
"FRISK..."  
"Yeah?"  
"REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU TO TAKE A HIKE?"  
"...Yes..."  
"I'M STARTING TO REALIZE I'VE NEVER TAKEN A HIKE BEFORE. I'VE HEARD STORIES ABOUT THEM, BUT I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW!"  
"Heh... Yeah..."  
Truth be told, Frisk was exhausted from the long walk. He was properly prepared for it the first time, but this time he neglected to take into account just how big the mountain trail really was.  
Soon enough though, the duo (trio?) made it to the top.  
"You've got the rope?"  
"OF COURSE. FINELY STRENGTH TESTED AGAINST A SMALL, WHITE DOG THAT I'M NOT TOO FOND OF. IT SHOULD SUPPORT YOU AND WHATEVER BAGGAGE YOU'RE CARRYING OUT OF THERE."  
"Excellent. I'll text you when I'm ready."  
Frisk tightened the rope around his waist, and began the leap.  
"OH, AND IF YOU SEE A TALKING FLOWER DOWN THERE, TELL HIM I SAID HI!"  
"...Here's to hoping I don't."  
"Yeah, no kidding." Chara remarked.  
Despite Frisk being attached to something now, the fall was just as long as it was before. And boy, was it long.  
Yet Frisk knew how to position himself at just the right time to perfectly stick the landing, his right foot behind him and his body hunched over his left knee.  
"...Frisk, how do you _do that_?"  
"Practice. Why, are you jelly?"  
"...A little."  
"I figured as much, flat-face."  
"Hey!!"  
"Sorry, sorry! That slipped out. I didn't mean to-"  
"It's okay, I just... There's some things about me that I really wish you wouldn't make fun of."  
"Funny, I get that a lot."  
"I'm being serious!"  
"Yeah, I know... I guess I should be, too."  
At that statement, Frisk pulled out his shovel and got to work. He felt a bit ashamed at having to mess up such a good patch of flowers, but it's hard for him of all people to be sentimental over Golden Flowers for very long.  
Eventually, he hit the jackpot.  
"Wow... There it is."  
Aside from the dirt covering the body, it was quite well preserved. It were almost as if Chara weren't dead, but was rather peacefully asleep.  
"I am actually impressed by this."  
"You know, we're pretty lucky I had them preserve my body so well." Chara remarked.  
"Oh yeah? How _did_ you?"  
"One of my many personal research projects during my time in the Underground had to do with preservation of the dead. I found out that before the War, humans that died with monster friends would have their bodies magically preserved with a seal, like a magic variation of embalming that was permanently effective. So I showed it to Toriel and asked her to do it to me when I kicked the bucket. Of course, neither of us knew that time would be so soon, but it seems like she did it anyways."  
"I suppose that rules out the possibility of saving any of the other kids, then."  
"...Yeah, I don't even know where their SOULs ended up, let alone their bodies."  
"Best not to think about it then."  
Frisk hoisted Chara's body onto himself and tied it to him using a makeshift harness, then gave Papyrus the signal to hoist him up.  
Papyrus did so, albeit slowly because of the extra weight, and greeted them with a mixture of both enthusiasm and surprise.  
"IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK, FRISK! BUT, WHO DID YOU BRING BACK WITH YOU? IS THAT ANOTHER HUMAN? AND ARE THEY OKAY?"  
"This is a friend of mine. She's... well... let's say she's been asleep for a long time, and I'm going to try to wake her up."  
"WELL, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! I JUST HOPE SHE'S NOT LIKE MY BROTHER. I'VE HAD A GREAT MANY STRUGGLES WITH TRYING TO WAKE HIM UP."  
Chara got a small chuckle from this.  
"Heh... Man do I wish I could explain things myself."  
"You'll get your chance soon enough..."  
"YES, WELL, I SUSPECT IT'LL BE HOURS BEFORE THAT HAPPENS."  
"...Huh? Oh! Sorry Papyrus, I was talking to myself."  
"OH... I APOLOGIZE, FRISK! I FORGET SOMETIMES."  
"Eh, it's alright. I forget things too."  
"Like the fact that you can communicate with me telepathically?" said Chara.  
Frisk simply nods his head as he and Papyrus head back down the mountain.  
"Um... Papyrus, do you think you could help me out?"  
"SURE."  
"Can you... carry my friend for me? She's sort of heavy."  
"OF COURSE, FRISK! WHAT ELSE ARE FRIENDS FOR IF NOT TO HELP THEIR FRIENDS' OTHER FRIENDS?"  
"Heheh... Thanks."  
Frisk handed Chara's lifeless body to Papyrus, at which point he cradled it in his arms as if it were a living, but tired child.  
For one reason or another, the sight brought a smile to Frisk's face.

  


* * *

  


It was the next morning, and Chara's body laid cold and lifeless next to Frisk's warm and cozy bed. Not that she could feel anything, but it was still pretty awkward for Frisk at first.  
"It's funny... The last time a monster of that size carried my dead body in his arms, it was on the _other_ side of the barrier."  
"I thought you said there were some events you didn't want to joke about."  
"I said there were some events that I didn't want _you_ to joke about."  
"Oh, but you can cackle all day long?"  
"Of course. It's self-deprecating humor. Look it up."  
Chara pondered for a moment.  
"So... You're really doing this?"  
"Well I've already finished digging up one grave, I guess it's too late to hesitate in digging up another."  
"See? You know how to self-deprecate."  
"Ha, ha..."  
Chara was right, though. Frisk knew full well that what he was about to do was very morally questionable, and yet he was going through with it anyway.  
He already decided that he at least didn't want to dig up anyone important, but that he'd like to get someone with a red SOUL if at all possible. Preferably someone who died of natural causes, since they'd be the least likely to come back should Frisk have misunderstood some lesson Chara gave him about how all this death stuff works.

  


He arrived at the graveyard and began choosing a plot. It was devoid of people at this time, so he could pretty much spend his time with this. Eventually though, he gave up and let Chara pick out a body. It was about to be her SOUL, anyway.  
"I think I can almost... feel the traits of these SOULs. I can't be certain without leaving your side, but if I could, then..."  
"You have my permission."  
Chara had been latched on to Frisk's SOUL ever since he first fell in the Underground. At first, Frisk was afraid if there was even the slightest chance that Chara could leave him, but now...  
Well, she deserved to do things on her own.  
Eventually, she picked a body and pointed it out to Frisk. Like with Chara's own body, Frisk made quick work getting to it. Only this time, he needed to go in deeper.  
"Now... If I'm going to get this SOUL, I'm going to have to... to rip it out. This could get messy. If you really don't want to see this, I understand..."  
"Nah, I can take it. It's not like it'll be the first mangled corpse I've seen."  
"Oh... Oh yeah... I forgot. Well, I suppose I'd better get to work then."  
Frisk took out a pocket knife and began cutting into the body. Not Chara's knife, as he refused to use it on principle. But a sharp knife nonetheless. Once a deep enough incision was made, he began feeling around for the SOUL. It was messy, but eventually he found it and began to pull it out.  
Sadly, this was no easy feat. Frisk had a lot to cut around in order to get the SOUL out; It was only now that he realized how much SOULs are actually attached to in the human body.  
Eventually, though, he succeeded. He pulled out the SOUL, and held it in his hands.  
"Wow... I mean, this isn't the first time I've seen a SOUL, but to actually be holding one in my hands is... a weird feeling."  
"I feel weird just looking at it."  
"Yeah, well, I'd better get this body back into the ground before somebody comes along."  
"Agreed."

  


After undoing most of his handiwork, Frisk returned home with the SOUL, ready to stick it in Chara's body.  
"Now... There is one final step in this plan." he said, seeming to remind himself as much as Chara.  
"I know. I'm ready if you're ready."  
But Frisk didn't know if he was ready. For a moment, he would be completely unaware of Chara's whereabouts. Which in itself wasn't scary, but if something went wrong, Frisk could risk losing Chara forever. At least, that's what he thought.  
There was a reason he always tried so hard to not let his SOUL be taken, and it wasn't just for his own safety. It was his concern for her as well.  
Still, he carried on with the plan. Chara once had a plan that failed because one of it's participants wasn't willing to take as many risks as the other, and Frisk wasn't going to let that happen to _him_.  
He took the SOUL and the body, and made his way over to a makeshift lab that Alphys had made for herself on the surface. Like her lab in the Underground, it was also her house, so she was sure to be here.  
Frisk rang the doorbell. It took a while for him to get any kind of response, but eventually he could see Alphys looking at him through the blinds. Well, him and the him-sized body he was carrying in his hands.  
She hesitantly opened the door, unsure what to think of the scenario before her eyes. Frisk got to explaining.  
"Alphys, I have an idea but I need your help with it. Do you still have the Determination Extractor somewhere?"  
"I... I think so, but it's in a warehouse. It's not really usable right now. Why? What are you trying to do?"  
"I was thinking. If Determination can preserve a SOUL after death, maybe it can jolt it back to life, too. It's worked for me... sort of."  
"Frisk, what are you... You can't just bring back the dead! Especially up here!"  
"The person I'm trying to bring back is already half-there, so I'm sure I can do it. They exist in my head, and I know that makes me sound like I've lost my marbles, but I swear I'm telling the truth."  
"W-Well... Only if you're absolutely sure. You... You saw what happened the last time I messed with Determination."  
"I know, and it's part of the reason I think you can pull this off. Especially since you'll be working with a human this time."  
"Oh... R-Right."  
"I have a body, I have a SOUL, and I have a ghost. I just need to put them all together. Think you can do that for me?"  
"I... I can certainly try."  
"Thank you. Can I come in?"  
"Sure! I, uh, haven't cleaned the place, but y-you're always welcome!"  
Frisk made his way into the lab-house. Alphys was right about cleaning; It wasn't a dump, but it wasn't exactly a haven for sanitation either. Frisk found a spot to lay Chara's body and set it down there, before taking the SOUL in his hands and heading off to a private corner of the house.  
He wasn't sure what to say, but he knew he should say something.  
"So... This could be it... between us."  
"I suppose so. Think you can manage?"  
"I'll... I'll do my best. ...But I'm gonna miss you."  
"Yeah, I know, but if this works it'll only be a few days, maybe a week at most before we see each other again."  
"That's what I'm hoping for. But still..."  
"..."  
Chara could sense the hesitation in Frisk's mind. There was some small part of him that didn't want to do it, and that part was only getting bigger the closer this moment got. But while Frisk knew the risks, Chara was starting to realize the rewards.  
She'd be back in her old body, back _alive_ , able to actually be there for Frisk as far more than a disembodied voice that only he could hear. And he'd be there for her.  
"...I'm ready if you're ready." she tried to reassure him.  
"Then... Then I'm ready."  
As soon as the words left him, Chara left her attachment to Frisk's SOUL to begin a new one inside the SOUL within his hands. As she did, Frisk noticed the SOUL glow with a radiance he'd not seen since... well... since those other six saved his life.  
He took one small sense of comfort in knowing this: The SOUL was alive.  
"Doctor... I suppose I'd better leave this with you and let you get to work."  
"I... Yes, very well. I'll text you when I'm ready for you to come back."  
"Yeah... Thanks. But try to text me early; I want to be there when she first wakes up."  
"I'll try."  
"Bye Alphys. And thanks for your help."  
"Bye, Frisk."  
Frisk took one last look at the glowing SOUL, now in Alphys' hands instead, as he began the walk back to his place, by himself for the first time in a while.

  


* * *

  


Despite Chara not being in Frisk's head anymore, his thoughts for the next three days were filled with concern for her, and concern if what he'd done was the right thing to do. Not just morally speaking, but also whether it'd work like he hoped, and whether she'd be happy to have it.  
Frisk knew that it was far too late to go back, so why was he so nervous about going forward? Is this how Chara felt about _her_ big plan? She must have, especially considering it involved her _death_.  
But maybe Frisk was being selfish. After all, the biggest repercussions he was worried about would happen to _him_. The worst thing that could happen to Chara is that she dies again, properly this time, like everyone else she knew on the surface.  
And if it did work, it's doubtful that she'd have any idea what she's doing, socially at least. She hasn't done any of _that_ in a long time.  
Maybe it'd be easier if she started with the person she'd find it easiest to talk to. It couldn't be Toriel; Her emotional state would be a mess and her protectiveness would kick into overdrive if they were to ever meet. So it had to be Asgore.  
Frisk paid him a visit with that thought swimming in his head. He knocked on the door.  
"Oh, is someone there? Just a minute!"  
Asgore was never busy with anything in particular, or rather busy enough to not welcome guests. He didn't have a job either, since Gerson had given him half of a surplus of money he got from Frisk's oddly large amount of cloudy glass purchases.  
"Howdy, Frisk! Can I help you?"  
"Actually, I just wanted to visit for a bit."  
"Oh. Well, come on in."  
The place was was small and quaint, but well-kept. As Frisk walked in the door, Asgore headed to the kitchen to finish making a ham sandwich he'd been preparing for himself.  
"I wanted to ask if... if you still had both of those beds in New Home."  
"Well... Since you mentioned it, I've got a room set up in this place with all the stuff in that one. I keep it around for... sentimental reasons."  
"I see."  
"Why, did you want one of those beds?"  
"No, I was just thinking... I might want to sleep over here for a few nights."  
"I see. Well, you're more than welcome to. But what brought this on?"  
"Let's just say I know someone who you once knew as well."  
"Well, aren't you funny? I was a king, after all; I know just about every one of the monsters."  
"Yeah, I know, that doesn't narrow it down much. But trust me... You'll know her when you see her."  
"Alright. You haven't given me reason to doubt you once so far. But... Something's different about you, isn't it?"  
"...You can tell?"  
"Frisk, when we first met back in the Underground, there was something about you that reminded me of the hope I once felt for peace and unity between humans and monsters. The hope I felt from the first human child that fell down there. It was almost as if I could feel her presence within you. But now..."  
"I guess I've got some explaining to do."  
"Only if you want to."  
"..."  
"Sorry. I've put you on the spot, haven't I?"  
"No, you haven't done anything wrong, it's just... Well, I'm worried that I'm not doing anything right."  
"How so?"  
"Well, have you ever had an idea, but to execute it you have to take a lot of risks, and if something goes amiss you could lose something, or someone, forever?"  
"...I know the feeling."  
"It's the feeling I have now. And it terrifies me."  
"Child, I wish I knew what to say in that situation, but... I have many struggles with my own guilt that I don't know how to overcome already."  
"I know what you did and why you did it. And if I were in your shoes I'd find it hard not to do the same. Especially because of how many people were relying on you."  
"Still, it's hard to look back on, and know for sure if it was the right decision. But I suppose you have a point."  
"I'm sure it's a tough position to be in."  
"There are certainly some struggles of being king that I'm happy to no longer have to deal with. Although there is one thing you overlooked."  
"What's that?"  
"I don't wear shoes."  
Frisk got a chuckle out of that, and Asgore quickly joined him. Soon after, Frisk entered the kitchen to ask Asgore for a cup of tea.

  


* * *

  


Frisk ended up spending the night there after all, and when he awoke he mostly stayed at Asgore's. The two got to talking about their respective pasts, as the two had never really done such a thing before. Asgore never once mentioned a thing about Chara and Asriel's life, though.  
And the feeling of loneliness loomed in the back of Frisk's mind without her. He wanted to spill everything to Asgore right then and there, but he couldn't. Not until his plan had worked.  
At about half past ten, Frisk got a text from Alphys. The machine was working, and Chara should be waking up any moment. Frisk was ecstatic! He could hardly contain his excitement. But he was in bed, and Asgore was surely already asleep. So he wrote a quick sticky note and left it in his bed in case Asgore came in to check on him.  
Then, he was off to the lab. He had to hold back from sprinting all the way there, for fear of exhausting the limited energy his half-asleep self had in him. Once he got there, though, everything was dark, and a pang of guilt entered into him.  
He knocked on the door, hoping Alphys was still awake. He had reason to believe she was; She'd sent the text, after all. But for some reason he was still worried.  
After checking to make sure it was Frisk who had knocked, Alphys slowly opened the door.  
"Thank goodness it's you. Come in."  
As Frisk did so, he asked a question.  
"Does anyone else come at this hour?"  
"Sometimes Papyrus will come by if he suspects Undyne is here. You know how he is."  
"Yeah, I do. ...I just realized this is the first time I've seen your TV turned off."  
"Eheheh... Well, I didn't want the first thing your friend sees after waking up from an extended coma to be Mew Mew Kissy Cutie."  
"That's fair. How is she, by the way?"  
"Hard to tell. I've been getting life readings from the SOUL you gave me, but I've yet to see anything from the body, even though the SOUL's attached to it now. I'm going to try to defibrillate her, just to see if giving her a jolt will get her going."  
"Good idea. I think. I'm not a doctor."  
"Neither am I, really. I'm more of an engineer."  
"Well you're a really good one."  
"Thanks."  
Frisk goes over to where Chara's body is lying on a makeshift operating table. It's still fairly covered in dirt, but also still recognizable as her. Frisk wondered if she could see him there, through the SOUL that was now hers. He wondered if she could somehow see the hope he was feeling.  
"Stand back."  
Scientific work was about to begin. Alphys warmed up the defibrillator, and gave Chara a jolt. Nothing.  
Alphys gave Chara another jolt. Nothing.  
Frisk was starting to get worried at this point. His glance shifted from Chara to the readings to Chara again.  
Another jolt. Now Alphys was worried too. She'd heard that loose SOULs were prone to burst apart when exposed to too much damage. She hoped that wasn't about to happen.  
One final jolt. It had to work. For a brief moment, Frisk's concern was shifting to hopelessness, but...  
He felt it before he saw it. Chara's heart was beating. Her lungs were moving. She was really alive.  
A wave of emotions was flooding through Frisk's mind. Panic, shock, relief, disbelief, but most of all, happiness.  
Chara opened her eyes.  
"..."  
The two of them were in silence. One from stunned shock, the other from pained exhaustion. Eventually though, Chara was the first to get a word out.  
"...Frisk?"  
Frisk was too choked up to get a word out. He simply stood, frozen in place, smiling as tears flowed down his face.  
He had done the impossible. He had brought the dead back to life.  
"Hey... Are you... okay...?"  
While Chara's heart kept a steady beat, Frisk's was racing at a thousand miles an hour. All the risks he took were worth it. All the things he did to lead up to this... A once crazy plan actually worked out.  
Once Frisk regained his senses, the very first thing he did was run up to Chara and pull her into a hug.  
"Ow! Ow... F-Frisk, I just- Ow..."  
"Oh... Sorry..."  
He sheepishly pulled himself back, realizing that Chara must be in a lot of pain from the process that woke her up in the first place.  
"It's... It's okay... I'm happy to see you too."  
"I... Yeah."  
While the two were reuniting, Alphys stepped in.  
"Um... Pardon me for interrupting, but I... don't think I ever learned your name."  
Alphys was obviously addressing the newly awoken human, so she responded.  
"...Chara."  
"Chara... huh... I think I've heard things about a "Chara" from the king. Just passing mentions, though."  
"I suppose you did. You're Doctor Alphys, right?"  
"Yes, I am. Frisk said you were in his head before... What else do you know?"  
"Well... I know about you and Mettaton, and you and Undyne... Especially you and Undyne..."  
"Uhm... What...?"  
"Look, I know he's young, but to be honest Frisk is a total pervert inside his head."  
"Chara!" Frisk blurted out.  
"What? Am I wrong?"  
"No, but you weren't supposed to... Jeez, this is almost as awkward as that roleplay thing we did at the garbage dump."  
"Eugh, don't remind me." Alphys said uncomfortably.  
"Well, at least it bought enough time for you to confess your feelings to Undyne anyway."  
"Yeah, silver lining I guess."  
Chara had a little giggle to herself as she watched the two talk.  
"I thought you two were having fun."  
"Well..."  
There was a feeling of awkward tension in the air after that comment.  
"...Maybe I should go."  
"Yeah, it's getting late. Chara, do you want to..."  
"No offense, but I don't really want to stay the night here. If I can, I'd like to... go with Frisk."  
"No objection from me. Goodnight, you two."  
"Goodnight, Alphys." called out Frisk.  
Chara started scooting their legs off of the table, with what appeared to be a great amount of effort.  
"Frisk, I... think I'm in pretty bad shape. Can you... help me walk?"  
"Sure."  
And so he did.

  


And the two made it all the way back to Asgore's place.  
"...Why here?" Chara wondered.  
"I've been spending a lot of time with Asgore lately, discussing things. I think one of the first people you meet should be someone that'll recognize you."  
"I don't know..."  
"Well that, and my place only has one bed."  
"Oh yeah... Wait, you didn't think to buy another one?"  
"I wasn't sure this plan would even work. Now... Just wait out of sight until I bring you in. I want to break the news to him slowly."  
"Alright."  
As Chara leaned against the wall, Frisk rang the doorbell. It took a moment for Asgore to answer the door, but still shorter than Frisk had expected.  
"Ah... You're back. I saw your note."  
"Yeah... And you'll never believe who I brought with me."  
Frisk then walked Chara over to the doorframe. When she came into view, Asgore couldn't believe his eyes.  
"Is... Is this a dream?"  
"No dream."  
"Hi..." Chara sheepishly called.  
"Chara... my child... is that really you?"  
"Yeah... It's me."  
"I... I don't know what to say... Your eyes, your hair, your clothes, it's all... still... You're still _you_."  
"I've missed you."  
"I missed you too... I never thought this day would come."  
Tears were forming in his eyes as he spoke. Memories of a time long gone flooded back to him. Good memories, bad memories, memories of wishes and wants, hopes and desires, a broken relationship that could never be reconciled. He was hit by a truck with these thoughts.  
"I... think I'd better head back to bed. In the morning... if you're still here... we've got a lot to talk about. Goodnight, Frisk."  
"Goodnight." he replied.  
"...Goodnight." as did she.  
Asgore made his way back to his bedroom, and Frisk helped walk Chara to what was now theirs.  
"It's weird... I've said Goodnight to monsters before, when I was dead, but this is the first time they can actually hear me."  
"I have a feeling you're going to have a lot of first times going forward."  
"Yeah... The Dreemurrs are the only ones left who really know who I was."  
"Speaking of which... One of these beds should be yours."  
"...I think I'll take that one. It's on the side of the room that I'm used to sleeping on."  
"Alright."  
"You know, if you knew you were going to stay here, I'm surprised you didn't bring your pajamas with you."  
"Eh... I can sleep in these clothes just fine."  
"I suppose you're right."  
The two kicked off their shoes and Frisk helped Chara get settled into bed. Then he went to the other side and did the same for himself.  
"I can describe just about any feeling I've experienced in my lifetime, but I can't describe the absence of one. That's what I always had when I was dead. But this... This is nice."  
"You deserve it, Chara. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, Frisk."  
And so the two dozed off, their minds filled with the life ahead of them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chara didn't usually consider herself a heavy sleeper, but since this was the first time she'd even been able to sleep in a hundred years, things were different.  
Frisk got up about half an hour before she did. When he did, he took one look and decided he shouldn't disturb her. She deserved to rest, after all.  
It was about 8:20. The sun was up, so Frisk decided to walk around for the time being. He'd noticed before that Asgore had once again taken to gardening, and he often enjoyed observing Asgore's handiwork. So that's what he decided to do.  
Frisk headed out back, and began a leisurely walk through the garden. Asgore wasn't there, so Frisk assumed he must still be sleeping, or else doing something in the kitchen. Asgore's been trying out a bunch of new recipes he found online, and Frisk had observed many successes and failures even in the brief time they've spent together.  
Speaking of brief, Frisk hadn't spent much time in the garden before heading back to his room. He wanted to be there before Chara woke up, after all.  
She looked very peaceful. She wasn't the type to snore or move around much in bed, at least right now. Then again, he was asleep too just now; He might have missed something.  
Chara's awakening was slow and methodical. Almost as if she only half-realized what she was doing, and her instincts were taking care of the other half. She turned her head towards the side where Frisk was sitting on his bed, waiting for her.  
"...Frisk?"  
"Good morning, Chara. ...How are you feeling?"  
"Better... I think. I just hope this body's not permanently damaged from all the time spent without me in it."  
"You said it was magical preservation right?"  
"Well... yeah... but I don't *really* know what that entails. I mean I don't know if my bones are-"  
Chara was interrupted by something wafting through the room, but she diverted her attention back towards Frisk.  
"Do you smell that?"  
"Smells like something's cooking."  
"And someone's cooking it. Someone who I didn't think could cook."  
"He's been practicing. You missed out on that while the doctor was putting you together."  
"Well, I hope you're telling the truth. He only tried cooking maybe once or twice back when... You know."  
"Was he any good?"  
"...No... But I didn't have the heart to tell him. Azzy, on the other hand..."  
"I thought Asriel was a little more sheepish than that."  
"At times he was. Most times, though, you'd swear he had caffeine for blood."  
"Yikes. Sounds tough to live with."  
"You get used to it."  
It seemed to Frisk like Chara was really doing better than last night. At least, she was back to what Frisk considered her old self again.  
"Kids! Breakfast is ready!" Asgore called out to them.  
Frisk turned to Chara.  
"Think you can make it out of bed?"  
"Yeah... I think so."  
Chara's movement was careful and measured, but she got herself up alright. She couldn't run, but she could walk. Still, she stayed close to Frisk's side as the two made their way to the kitchen.  
Asgore took notice of their entrance and greeted them, still focusing on his oven. It wasn't turned on as he was using fire magic, but it still served as a place to put the frying pan.  
"Y'know Frisk, I was thinking a lot last night. About whether our little encounter was a dream or not. Admittedly, it wouldn't be the first time I've had a dream about my children's return, but I've come to learn what dreams feel like, in a sense."  
"So... What do you intend to do?" Frisk responded.  
"I... I don't know. As much as I'd like to pick up where I left off, so to speak, I'm still unsure of the circumstances surrounding her return. It was a long, long time ago that I lost her, and both I and the world have changed since then. Even humanity has changed, which I'm thankful for since we monsters could've easily been locked right back up."  
"Yeah... I'm sure she's happy about that too."  
"I'm right here, guys," Chara butted in.  
That got Asgore to turn around and take notice of the two.  
"Oh! I'm sorry, I hadn't even noticed, I was... Well, see for yourself."  
He portions the food onto three plates. Chara instantly recognized what they were and immediately filled to the brim with excitement.  
"Hohohoh, I know *that* face!" Asgore chuckled.  
Three stacks of freshly made chocolate chip pancakes were sitting on the countertop. Chara loved it when Toriel would make these, and could recognize the smell from a mile away. Yet she never seemed to get this excited until she was actually presented with them.  
In her excitement, she bolted towards Asgore and gave him a big hug, or at least as big as her ten year old body would allow. She nearly knocked him over, but he managed to regain balance and return the favor.  
"I suppose some things never change," he remarked. He lifted her up onto his shoulders giving her a birds-eye view of the kitchen. Not that there was much to see, but the two had fun with this.  
Frisk simply watched on in half-amusement, half-wonder. He didn't want to ruin the moment.  
"Now... Let's set the table," Asgore said as he set her down back on the floor. Chara put her own plate on the end, as Asgore set his and Frisk's across from each other. The three of them sat down and began to eat.  
For someone who hadn't eaten anything in such a long time, Chara took her time with her breakfast. It was, after all, what she was used to.  
Still, she couldn't stop her face from lighting up like a Christmas tree when she took her first bite. It wasn't exactly an original recipe, but it was still absolutely delicious. Frisk was enjoying it quite a bit as well, though not as much as Chara.  
Asgore let them eat for a while before he began speaking.  
"So, I suppose my first question is... How did you do it?"  
Chara all but ignored him as Frisk began speaking.  
"Well, the truth is... Chara's been with me a lot longer than this. Her... ghost, I guess... formed some connection with my SOUL when I fell into the Underground. She acted as a guide for me throughout, but more than that, she became like a best friend to me."  
"I see... I always thought she didn't get along well with humans."  
"Yeah, and in that sense, I guess I had a lot to prove to her. But eventually, after we'd arrived on the surface, I thought if I could get her "ghost" into another SOUL, and then fuse it with her body, I could bring her back fully."  
"And that's what you did?"  
"Mhm."  
"Of that's the case... I suppose that rules out the possibility of bringing back my *other* child."  
Frisk and Chara glanced at each other awkwardly. Frisk was the first to speak.  
"Well..."  
"...You don't want to know what happened to him." Chara finished.  
"Should I be concerned?" asked Asgore.  
The two shrugged.  
"As long as he's not here, I don't think so." replied Frisk.  
Neither of the two could bring themselves to tell Asgore about Flowey, especially Chara whose hatred of him was so opposite to how she used to feel.  
"In that case, I won't bother you about it." Asgore said solemnly.  
The rest of their breakfast was finished in silence, though it wasn't an awkward silence like Frisk and Chara might've thought it would be.  
"Well, it's been a nice reunion so far. I'm still somewhat in awe that it even happened, but I'm getting used to it. Frisk, since you're here, can you help me with the dishes?"  
Frisk agreed, if only because he remembered how boss monsters tend to get their fur stuck in the drain.  
"Chara, I can tell you're filthy, which is understandable if that story of Frisk's was true. There's a bathroom with a shower near my bedroom. I haven't used it, so it should be clean. I'd like you to freshen up in there."  
"Yes, sir."  
"Oh, and leave your outfit just outside. I'll wash it for you while you're in there."  
"Got it."  
And so the three continued their mildly eventful morning with their tasks on hand and each other on their minds.

* * *

An hour or so later, the two humans find themselves in Asgore's pickup truck, with him driving them to a nearby clothing store. Asgore had said that he wanted to get some new things for Chara, as he'd neglected to keep most of her old ones.  
Chara agreed, and Frisk came along because neither of them wanted to leave Frisk behind. Asgore was concerned for Frisk's safety, and Chara for her own.  
"You know Frisk, you might want to pick some things out for yourself as well," Asgore mentioned. "You seem to have been wearing the same outfit every time I've seen you."  
"I like this outfit," Frisk remarked. "And it's not like I literally wear the same clothes every day. I have a few identical sets that I switch between."  
"Still, it'd be worth it to look."  
"If you say so..."  
They arrived at the store, and Asgore led the other two inside. It was a hybrid human-monster store, of which many had been established on the surface since the monsters moved there. While things were mostly separated into human and monster categories, people would sometimes buy things that were in the other species' category. Mostly this happened with food, as the humans had realized it's incredible healing properties, and it rarely happened with clothing.  
"Morning, Asgore." The three were greeted with Oni, the red-skinned buff monster and ex-CORE employee. He'd been a greeter/cashier at the store ever since it opened.  
"Good to see you, Oni. I'm just here to do some shopping with the kids."  
"Kids, huh? First I've seen you here with others. That's Frisk, right?"  
"Sure is. Have you met before?"  
"Yeah, we talked in the old MTT diner once or twice. Besides, everyone knows Frisk."  
"That they do, don't they?"  
"Yeah, but who's the other one? Don't think I've seen their face around here before."  
"This is Chara. She's... relatively new."  
"I see... Well, you three enjoy yourself."  
"Alright. See you around."  
In truth, Chara wanted nothing more than to keep a low profile. She just never got around to saying it. Mostly, she just hid behind Frisk and Asgore trying not to attract attention. For the two of them, though, it was just a casual stroll through the store.  
As they were getting close to the kids' section, though, they caught the eye of a familiar fellow.  
"hey hey, look who it is. didn't expect to see you here."  
Frisk was the first to respond to Sans' mention.  
"We're just doing some quick shopping for my, uh, friend here."  
"uh huh. well since you're here, you think you can help me settle a dilemma?"  
"I can try."  
"listen. i scored myself a date tonight, and i'm trying to pick out an outfit. which of these do you think looks better?"  
Sans holds up two identical dark blue blazers.  
"...You serious?"  
"kid, when am i ever?"  
"Good point. I guess I'll go with the left one."  
"yeah, you're probably right."  
Sans puts the one on the right back where he found it.  
"Who are you going on a date with, anyways?"  
"you know that lady that runs the cinnamon bun stand a couple blocks from here?"  
"The rabbit who sold me the bandanna?"  
"yeah, we got to talking since she said she wanted to know me and my brother better, and we got along oddly well. so she suggested this date thing, and i agreed. never really been on a date before. might never again. but it'll be fun."  
"Alright, just don't put a whoopee cushion on her seat or something."  
"hey, i can suppress myself when i want to."  
"Yeah, but first you have to want to."  
Frisk and Sans laughed with each other. Chara and Asgore just exchanged glances of confusion like they were witnessing some kind of inside joke.  
"Anyways, I'd better get going."  
"yeah, seeya around, kid."  
And so two of the three proceeded, leaving Sans alone for the time being. Frisk, however, quickly swept the blazer that Sans had put back before catching up.  
"Never thought Sans was the romance type," Chara commented.  
"He ain't," Asgore responded. "He told me one time that he'd never get in a serious relationship. He's probably just doing this for fun."  
"Or for free food, depending on where this date is even happening."  
Asgore thought back to the times he'd find Sans dozing off at one of his stations covered in fast food wrappers.  
"Wouldn't surprise me."

  


Eventually, the two humans found some clothing that suited them. Chara's new wardrobe mainly consisted of forest or olive green shirts and khaki shorts and trousers. Frisk got a few navy blue and teal shirts, a gray sweater, and some jeans. Overall, not much different from what they'd already been wearing.  
Asgore did also make them both pick out hoodies for the eventual winter. They got matching cyan ones.  
As they were loading their things into the back, Chara took notice of the blazer.  
"...Really?"  
"I, uh, thought I might want to wear it...?" Frisk nervously replied.  
"If you say so."  
"I thought you looked pretty good in formal wear," Asgore mentioned to Chara.  
"Even if it looks good, I hate wearing it. It's so tight that I feel like I'm getting choked by my own shirt collar."  
"What were you dressing up for, anyway?" asked Frisk.  
"It wasn't a special occasion, I remember that much."  
It was about half past one by this point, and Asgore was brimming with ideas which he was eager to share with the two.  
"You know, I've been a king for so long that I've all but forgotten what it was like to be a father. Not that I haven't cherished the memories from that time, but actually doing things like this... Going out, having fun... I've missed this life."  
"I thought you were a pretty nice King Dad," Chara mentioned.  
"Hohohoh, you still remember that? I think I still have that piece of art somewhere in my room."  
"Perhaps..."  
"...As I was saying, since we're out and about anyway, what do you say we make this an "us" day?"  
Chara looked to Frisk, as if she were asking for his permission. He simply nodded.  
"I think I'd like that," she said.  
"Then let's go! There's this lovely park near here with birds that sing the prettiest songs around this hour."

* * *

Some things still felt weird and new for Chara, even now. The warmth of the sun on her skin, the freshness of the air, the boss monster's hand clasped around hers... She spent a lot of time just drinking it all in.  
Though this being Day 1 of her being alive again meant that she tired somewhat easily, so she stopped to rest on a park bench for a bit. Frisk sat by her side, while Asgore walked ahead to buy them some drinks.  
"So... How's your day been so far?" Frisk asked.  
"Decent, I suppose. Kinda nervous about being seen in public so much, but I'm sure I'll get used to it."  
"Not a lot of people seem to recognize you."  
"Yeah, not a lot of people from Asgore's generation are still around. I mean, you've seen Gerson. He's one of the few people that fought in the War."  
"Oh yeah..."  
"Saves me some trouble, though. I just can't help but think if people *did* recognize me, their first question would be "Where's Azzy?" or something like it."  
"I dunno about that. Maybe their third or fourth question at best."  
"Well, you know what I mean."  
"Did you and Azzy run around the Underground a lot?"  
"From time to time. Azzy more so than me. I rarely ever went past Waterfall."  
"Snowdin's cold was too much for you?"  
"Hey, I'm no furry boss monster."  
"That's true..."  
"Besides, Snowdin was always a safe haven for all things wacky. It was Azzy's antics at first, then it was those flightless birds, then the canine unit, then the skeletons..."  
"Sounds like a rough place to spend your time."  
"There's a reason they built a bar there."  
"Yeah, I've always wondered about that. I'd think a monster like Grillby would live in Hotland or something."  
"He used to, actually. Can't remember why he moved, but I know that he got a lot more business in Snowdin than in Hotland."  
"...Do you think Grillby's anywhere near here?"  
"I doubt it. And even if he were, I'm not sure I'd want to approach him. Fire elementals kind of scare me."  
"Bad experience, or...?"  
Chara shrugs.  
"But anyways, I feel like I'm next to one right now. It's hot out here."  
"Yeah, no kidding. We should've bought some hats or something."  
Just then, Asgore comes back with a few cups in hand.  
"Lemonade, anyone?"  
Frisk and Chara each take a cup, thanking him as they do.  
"You know, being able to be in the sun again is both a blessing and a curse."  
"How so?" Frisk asks.  
"Well us monsters don't really need the Vitamin D, and sweating wasn't really a problem unless you lived in Hotland."  
"Sounds like the Underground had it's advantages."  
"Sort of. Mostly just protection from things coming out of the sky. No weather means no fuss."  
Frisk giggled at that last statement, recalling how Alphys made *lots* of fuss because of there not being weather.  
Chara's mouth tensed up as she drank her lemonade.  
"Wow, this is... a lot more bitter than I remember."  
"Sorry about that," Asgore replied. "I wanted to get you kids something with low sugar in it. Suppose I should've warned you."  
"I've only been around for less than a day. I didn't think those fatherly instincts would kick in *that* quickly," Chara joked. "But thank you."  
"I suppose I both have and haven't gotten older. And I suppose I'm also lucky you were always the calm one."  
Chara awkwardly looked away at that. What he called calmness was usually just timidness on her part.  
The three of them sat in silence for a while. Not because they didn't want to talk, but they simply didn't have anything to say.

* * *

Later in the day, Asgore was off talking to Aaron and Lemon Bread about some sort of fitness routine, so Frisk and Chara were off doing their own thing.  
As the two of them walked through the grass, Frisk remembered something that would have to be addressed given that Chara was biologically close to his age.  
"You know I have to go back to school tomorrow, right?"  
"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk about that. Thing is, I spent a lot of time listening in on monster school lessons, which I think cover pretty much the same subject as human schools. At least if the time I've spent with you at yours is any indication."  
"So what you're saying is you already know everything?"  
"Basically, yeah. Besides, I'm not sure if I can even be enrolled in school, since legally speaking I do not exist."  
"I suppose that answers the questions I had. But... Do you think you'll be okay on your own for a while?"  
"I was okay with Dr. Alphys, wasn't I?"  
"Yeah... I guess..."  
"Besides, it's not like Asgore's place is that far. I know you can still stay there *and* go to school."  
"Heh..."  
Frisk's expression slowly shifted to one of guilt.  
"I... suppose I have become a bit clingy, haven't I?"  
"Yeah... Yeah, you have."  
"I'm... I'm sorry, Chara. I don't know-"  
"You don't have to be sorry, just loosen up a little. I don't need 24/7 surveillance, and you don't need to lean on me all the time."  
"Yeah... You're right. Especially since you're... well... *you* now, and not just a part of *me*."  
"I suppose it's hard to let go of someone you've been holding onto. I... never really felt that way myself. It's an odd feeling to be... wanted again."  
There was a twitch in Chara's eye, as if she were holding something back.  
"...I don't want to push you away, either. You know that, right Frisk?"  
"Yeah... Yeah, I understand."  
"Good. Good... Well, I suppose we'd best catch up with Asgore."  
"Agreed."

* * *

It was close to sunset, and the three found themselves sitting by a lake to watch it. Asgore was just above Frisk and Chara, who were right next to each other on a small hill.  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Asgore commented. "This is the first time I've seen a sunset since our initial departure from the Underground, and it's still simply magnificent."  
"Yeah... It sure is," Chara chimed in.  
At the time, she was still attached to Frisk, being little more than a voice and a ghostly body only he could tell was there. She could see it, but this was the first time she felt it.  
"So, Chara..." Asgore began. "You've... been around ever since we lost you, right?"  
"I guess you could say that," she replied.  
Asgore's expression faltered a bit as he worked up the courage to say what was on his mind.  
"I... I guess you're not really a kid anymore then."  
Chara frowned at this notion, even looking a bit worried at Asgore.  
"I'm sorry, it just feels like..." he continued. "Like I've missed out on a large part of your life. Or like I wasn't there for you at a time when I should've been."  
"It's not your fault," Chara said. "I did something I felt I had to do. I should take responsibility for that... But, it's because of those events that we met Frisk under the circumstances that we did... so I can't fully regret it."  
"I suppose you have a point. But the fact of the matter is, Asriel's still gone and Toriel won't return my calls. It's like she wishes to be as far apart from me here as she was in the Underground."  
"I'm sure there's some part of her, no matter how small, that wants to forgive you. The rest of her just won't admit it."  
"Perhaps you're right. But, who am I kidding? I'm not the man I was back then, and never will be."  
"Maybe not... But I'd still be happy to call you my dad."  
The two smile at each other at that. Frisk could tell just by looking at them that the two had something special that could never truly be lost to time.  
"But... If it's all the same to you... I'd like to stay at Frisk's place whenever he's not at yours."  
"That's quite alright with me, Chara. You deserve to be with one of your own kind, especially one like him."  
"Yeah... I guess he's proved a lot to me, whether he's the exception or the rule."  
Frisk knew exactly what she was talking about. Chara had a deep-seated hatred of humanity, which according to her, often included herself. Frisk wanted her to trust herself as much as he trusted her.  
Or as much as she seemed to trust him.  
Chara lets out a long yawn, and Frisk was starting to look worn out as well.  
"I suppose we'd better head back," said Asgore.

* * *

By the time they got to Asgore's home, Chara had already fallen asleep in the car.  
"Was she usually like this?" Frisk whispered to Asgore.  
"Only on weekdays. She's not exactly a social butterfly."  
Asgore hoisted her onto his shoulder. As he did, he felt the rhythmic breathing of her lungs as if to say "Yes, this is real."  
"You know..." Frisk began. "What you said back at the lake got me thinking. Toriel's immediate reaction on seeing me was to protect me, and even overprotect me. I can only imagine it was the same with the other kids. But... For that reason, I don't think she can ever be allowed to see Chara."  
"What reason, exactly?"  
"Let's just say she's not one to prioritize freedom over safety. At best, she'd have pretty strict rules, and at worse she'd never let Chara out of her sight."  
"...You might be right. Not that she doesn't have her reasons, but they could do more harm than good in this scenario."  
Frisk remembered how she'd attacked him with her fire magic just for trying to leave. "More harm" was right.  
As Asgore laid Chara down in her bed and tucked her in, Frisk laid down in his own bed and observed.  
"Goodnight, little one." He softly whispered to her. Frisk wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a slight smile creep onto her face as he said it.  
"Goodnight, Asgore," Frisk called out at the last minute.  
A much more noticeable smile appeared on Frisk's face as he began to drift off.


	3. Chapter 3

Frisk swore he heard something, something that sounded like a scream, but he didn't know what it was for sure. He had woken up just a moment later, and despite the fact that it was 2 in the morning, he didn't feel the urge to lie back down. Plus, Chara's bedsheets were ruffled and flipped over as if she'd hastily ran out of the bed. So he decided to investigate.  
He didn't feel like turning the lights on, so he found a flashlight and turned it on. He was worried about approaching Asgore's room, not wanting to wake him, but the kitchen and living room were empty. The front and back doors were still locked up, but just when he was about to give up, he heard a quiet noise coming from the bathroom. He followed it.  
Inside the bathroom he found Chara, sitting on the floor, her legs pulled into her chest, her head hunched over, softly crying into her knees.  
Frisk's first instinct was to panic, as if he were seeing something he shouldn't. But he composed himself enough to slowly approach her.  
"Chara...? Are you okay?"  
His voice startled her, causing her to look up. Her face was red and stained with tears, and her expression was that of fear, pain, and sorrow. These were things Frisk was used to not seeing on Chara, so he was as curious as he was concerned.  
"P-Please... Go away..." Chara croaked out.  
Frisk tried to move, but his legs wouldn't budge. Neither towards nor away from Chara.  
"I j-just... l-leave me alone..."  
Frisk looked down, and against his better judgement, started walking towards her. He took a seat on the floor next to her and set the flashlight down.  
"...I don't want you to be alone," he managed to get out.  
"W... Why not?"  
"I... I don't know. But I hate to see you like this. If something's bothering you... Please tell me."  
"I-It's nothing... just a... s-silly nightmare."  
"...Are you sure?"  
Chara just stared at him after that question. There was a lot on her mind, a lot that she admittedly wanted to tell him, but she couldn't get the words out.  
"Was..." Frisk thought carefully about his next words. "Was it a nightmare... or a memory?"  
The question only made Chara look more guilty, like she was ashamed to be in front of Frisk at the moment. He didn't *know* the full story, but she knew he someday would. And this thought terrified her to an extent.  
After a while, Chara stopped crying enough to explain herself.  
"It was... It was about the surface... b-before I fell..."  
"Oh..." was all Frisk could get out. He knew that Chara hadn't climbed the mountain for "a happy reason" and that she hated humanity. But he never bothered to ask why.  
"You..." Chara went on. "You've been my... friend... for a while. You've helped me, worried about me, got along with me... I never got any of that before I fell. Those people, they treated me like some sort of reject, or outcast, or unwanted *thing*. And for the longest time... I believed them."  
"Chara, that sounds awful. Nobody should have to suffer a fate like that, especially someone like you."  
"...Because I'm a child?"  
"Because you're a wonderful person."  
"Y-You... really think so...?"  
"I wouldn't have put in as much effort as I did to bring you back if I thought any less of you."  
Frisk wrapped his arm around Chara at about shoulder height as he said this.  
"Frisk... Y-You..." Chara sounded like she was about to cry again. "Y-You're a great person too, Frisk... Almost too great..."  
"I don't know about *that*," Frisk admitted. "But... If you have another nightmare, let me know. I'm not a therapist or anything, but I'll do my best."  
"...Yeah... Thank you, Frisk. I... think I'm ready to head back to bed now."  
Chara got up, still in Frisk's arm, and the two walked back to their bedroom. Chara still hadn't fully recovered from what she'd experienced, but she was at least comfortable enough with going back to sleep.

* * *

Some time after Frisk and Chara had woken up proper, they found themselves in the kitchen eating breakfast. Asgore had tried cooking something again, and although it wasn't as great as yesterday, it still came out well.  
After the two humans had finished eating, Chara spoke up.  
"Um... Asgore... Do you mind if I speak with Frisk alone for a bit?"  
"That's quite alright with me," he replied.  
Chara got up and dragged Frisk by his hand to their bedroom, then shut the door.  
"Is this about last night?" he started.  
"Yeah... Yeah, it is. Now that I've got a clear head, I feel like things I'd been repressing for a long time are flooding back to me. So you deserve to know the truth."  
"I'm listening..."  
Chara sat on her bed, while Frisk pulled up a chair and sat down facing her.  
"So... As you sort of know, I had it... pretty bad on the surface. My parents acted like they never even wanted me, and most people just treated me like an outcast because I was too nervous to talk to any of them."  
"Sounds rough."  
"And it's not like I didn't want to, really, but at that point my instinct was to run away from people, to stay out of their way, not to approach them. That's how I kept myself safe from my dad most of the time."  
"Was he an angry type of person?"  
"On his good days, no. But my mother left him when I was, I think, two. That was also somehow my fault just for existing. I think he took to drinking after that, because he smelled really weird a lot of the time. ...I got yelled at a lot."  
"...Did he ever hit you?"  
"No... But I always lived in fear that he one day might. That one day he would just snap, as if he hadn't already. ...But I guess I did first."  
"Do you... remember the day when *it* happened?"  
"Yeah, and I wish I didn't. Human schools always depicted monsters as these horrible, bloodthirsty creatures that would rip you limb from limb if they saw you. Suffice to say... That's what I was feeling like that day."  
"That sounds terrible..."  
"Well, I certainly wouldn't wish it on anyone. I was hiding under my bed, crying to myself when I had the thought. It wasn't that far; I could make it just by running. And so I did. I didn't pack anything, I just climbed out of my window and ran. I ran to the mountain, up the mountain, and then..."  
"You lept to join the monsters, right?"  
"..."  
Chara was silent for an uncomfortably long time.  
"To tell you the truth Frisk... and it's not an easy truth for me to say... but when I fell down that mountain, I was fully ready to die at the bottom."  
Frisk just stared in wide-eyed shock at the statement. Back in the Underground, he'd had a hard time becoming Chara's friend in the first place and earning her trust. Now he knew why. For someone as sweet as her to be tormented to the point of willing to go... that far... The thought made him want to vomit.  
"...But I didn't." Chara broke the silence. "I didn't, because Asriel was at the bottom. He helped me up, took me to the Dreemurrs who healed me and made me a part of their family. It was because of him that I... that I felt like I had something to live for, for the first time."  
Tears were starting to form in Chara's eyes once again.  
"I would've never known at the time that his innocence and kindness could turn into something so... abominable. It's like Flowey is the exact opposite of who Azzy was. And it's all my fault!"  
Chara was fully crying by this point.  
"I made a horrible mistake that I can never take back, and he turned into that... thing... because I was selfish and wanted to-"  
"Chara, wait, you're not... Please don't beat yourself up over that. It's not your fault that Azzy turned into what he did. Not entirely, anyways. I'm sure Alphys has a lot of pent up guilt over her past actions too... Maybe you could talk to her."  
"Yeah... Maybe."  
"And it doesn't make you any less of a person. I'm sure you cared for him as your brother, and wouldn't have wanted him to become that thing. But you had good reason for what you were doing, and it just didn't work out. Even my plan to bring you back could've gone wrong with a bunch of ways, and you might not have even been able to come back as a part of me. Despite all that, I still did it."  
"...You did, didn't you? I... I guess you have a point. I'm sorry for dragging you down like this."  
"It's okay. Dragging me down only makes it easier for me to lift you back up."  
Chara giggled a little at that.  
"Now... I have to get going, so I'll see you when I get back from school."  
"Yeah... Seeya, Frisk."  
Frisk got ready for school fairly quickly, but before he headed out the door, Chara gave him a hug goodbye.

* * *

It was about quarter past two. Asgore was tending to his garden in the back, while Chara was laying on the couch with her eyes fixed on the ceiling.  
Asgore had just finished up his work, so he came inside and sat at the end of the couch, next to where Chara's head was.  
"Is there anything on your mind?" he asked.  
"No... Not really. I'm just bored."  
"Why don't you watch some TV? I've got cable."  
"There's never anything good on..."  
"How can you be so sure?"  
Chara shrugged.  
"...Well, is there anything else you might want to do? I may have some old board games lying around here, if you want to-"  
"I wish Frisk were here."  
Asgore wasn't sure how to respond to that. Chara was rarely that blunt about what she wanted; She usually just went along with others.  
"I... I'm sorry, I can't just pull him out of school."  
"I know... I just..."  
Chara had a hard time admitting when she'd formed a bond with someone, especially a human. But right now, her feelings and circumstance were forcing her to.  
"...Maybe I'm just too used to how things were. Back when I was... a part of him, so to speak."  
"I see... Are you regretting what he did?"  
"No, no, I could never thank him enough for that. I'm just... I guess I'm a bit lonely without him."  
"That's understandable, Chara. I wouldn't be surprised if he felt similarly towards you. And in a way, it's a good thing."  
"...Huh?"  
"I remember before, when you would talk about your feelings about the humans... You had a lot of unkind things to say. But the way you get along with Frisk doesn't reflect any of that. And for that reason, I'm really happy for you."  
"R... Really?"  
"I know I've talked about it before, but I often looked to you as a symbol of hope. Hope for peace and unity between humans and monsters. But if you couldn't love humans yourself, that hope couldn't have been fulfilled."  
This statement made Chara feel guilty. She never once wanted to disappoint Toriel or Asgore, and now she was feeling like she had without knowing it. Not that it mattered now, if what he's saying was true.  
"And for the record..." he continued. "There's nothing wrong with admitting how you feel towards Frisk. If you see him as a best friend, a shoulder to lean on, whatever."  
"...I guess you're right. Part of me is still conflicted, like I'm accepting a truth that goes against the one I knew before. Maybe I was wrong before."  
"I've been wrong before too. It happens to all of us, but at best it's an opportunity to learn. And I think you *have* learned."  
"Yeah... Things have really changed for me."  
"But there's one thing I'm confident will not change."  
"...What's that?"  
"You've got a big heart, and you should surround yourself with others with big hearts."  
Chara was sitting up by this point, so she leaned into Asgore as he said that.  
"Thanks, Asgore. That makes me feel a lot better. Now, about those board games..."

* * *

Hours later, a semi-exhausted Frisk walks through the door, eager to get his backpack off his shoulders. He quickly tosses it on his bed before heading to the living room to talk with the others.  
"Howdy, Frisk!" Asgore greets him. "How was school?"  
"It was alright. Pretty boring, though."  
"Did you talk with any friends?"  
Frisk just shrugged.  
"No one to talk to..."  
He headed off to the kitchen, from which he grabbed an apple. Asgore had started leaving apples, oranges, and bananas out on one of the countertops for anyone to grab. Frisk came back into the living room, eager to speak with Chara again.  
"Did I miss anything while I was gone?"  
"Not much," Chara replied. "Asgore and I have been playing chess for the last half hour or so. Sorry we started without you, but you can watch if you like."  
"I don't think I've ever played chess."  
"We used to play all the time back in the Underground. ...Well not all the time, not even a lot, but... we had fun."  
Frisk took a seat on the floor beside Chara. He wasn't sure, but he thought she was winning.  
"You know..." he began. "There have been times when I've wondered what it was like back then... when you all were together."  
"...Really?" Chara asked. Even when she could literally read his thoughts, she often didn't want to, for fear of finding things she'd be better off not knowing about.  
"There were even times when I wished I were a part of it."  
"Well... As nice as it was to be part of a family like the Dreemurrs, I don't miss living in the Underground."  
"Me neither," Asgore chimed in. "The surface is great, and the humans have been far better than I imagine they would have been had I gone through the war plan."  
"Or Toriel's plan," Frisk mentioned. "You know, getting one SOUL and then leaving the Underground with that, to collect more on your own? I don't think the might of a military could take on as many humans as you'd be angering with *that* plan."  
"Yes, well, it's a good thing I never considered it."  
Everyone went silent for a moment. Then, Chara was the first to speak up.  
"...Maybe it wouldn't have been so good for you to have been there, Frisk."  
"What makes you say that?" Frisk asked.  
"It's just that... I dunno. Something Azzy said, I guess."  
Frisk pondered for a moment. He knew Chara wasn't talking about anything Azzy said a hundred years ago. Frisk recalled how Asriel didn't think of Chara as a great person, how he was projecting onto Frisk because he wished Chara was the kind of person that Frisk was.  
At the time, those words hurt Chara to hear, and even Frisk had been upset by them. Asriel obviously didn't know she was listening, or that Frisk knew who she was, but if that was how he really felt about her...  
...Well, it could always have been a byproduct of Asriel's time as Flowey. Either that he pit the blame for that whole ordeal on Chara, or that his emotionlessness had somehow molded his opinion of her and who he thought she was.  
Perhaps Flowey had assumed that Chara was a rotten creature like him, because she was dead and lacked a SOUL. And perhaps at one time, he was right. But Frisk knew, without a doubt, that he was wrong about her *now*.  
"...You're probably right, Chara. But I'm happy you're here now."  
Asgore smiled at the two. They didn't have to make it obvious that they had the special bonds of a best friendship for him to see it. Then he get up and headed for his room.  
"Where are you going?" Chara asked.  
"To get my camera."  
Frisk and Chara looked at each other. Chara had always been camera shy, but whenever Asgore wanted a picture of her, he got it. Today was no exception.  
He soon headed back out with an old digital camera. It wasn't necessary, as he had a phone, but he liked to keep it around as a memento.  
"Okay, smile!"  
Frisk and Chara put their arms around each other's shoulders and smiled for the camera as Asgore took the photo.  
"That's a keeper for sure."  
Afterwards, a thought came to Chara's mind as she remembered a similar picture in a different situation.  
"Hey Asgore, do you remember those old heart lockets?"

* * *

A couple days later, and the picture that had been taken had been imprinted into the lockets. Frisk felt kind of guilty as he took his.  
"This feels wrong somehow. Like I'm betraying the thing you and Asriel had together."  
"Well, we don't exactly have it anymore... Think of it like a passing of the torch."  
"I suppose you're right..."  
The locket still had the words "Best Friends Forever" etched into it. Frisk supposed that was how Chara felt about her and him. Admittedly, he felt the same way.  
"It's nice to have my old locket again, and to be able to wear it."  
"Yeah... It looks good on you."  
"Thanks. Yours does too."  
"...You really think so?"  
"I know so."  
Frisk smiled at this. Ultimately, it didn't matter what happened in the past, or how the two of them ended up where they were now. All that mattered was where they *would* end up from then on. And no matter where that was, they'd always have each other to help them get there.


End file.
